Flaws and definitions
Chat, what is AI?
‘Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the field of computer science focused on creating systems or machines that can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence. These tasks include learning from experience, understanding language, recognizing patterns, solving problems, and making decisions’ (“Define artificial intelligence”).
Similarly, in the Merriam-Webster dictionary, AI is defined as:
- ‘the capability of computer systems or algorithms to imitate intelligent human behavior.’
- ‘a branch of computer science dealing with the simulation of intelligent human behavior by computers.’
AI is, essentially, using a computer to reason and solve problems in the same manner as a human would.
AI can be categorized in a variety of ways, based on either capabilities or functionalities. When sorting by capabilities, AI is separated into two categories: strong AI and weak AI. Weak AI encompasses our current artificial intelligence models, which only perform tasks that they were programmed for and nothing else, unable to truly learn anything beyond that. Think Siri, Alexa, ChatGPT, and basically any commonly used AI platform. Strong AI is what you see in sci-fi movies: a hypothetical form of AI which possesses consciousness and decision-making abilities that are on par or above that of a human. Think of the robots in The Terminator, JARVIS in Iron Man, and Eve and Wall-E from Wall-E.
When it comes to functionalities, AI can be categorized as ‘reactive machine AI’ (only works with currently available data—think recommended-watch algorithms), ‘limited memory AI’ (uses past and present data—think ChatGPT), ‘theory of mind AI’ (theoretical, understands thoughts and emotions), and ‘self-aware AI’ (theoretical, super AI, has its own sets of beliefs, emotions, and thoughts).
So what are we to make of our current reality, where the use of AI—once a mere figment of sci-fi movies and unimaginable in our world—now feels inescapable? From ChatGPT to Google AI to customer service helpbots, how much AI is too much AI? What are we to make of the current reality where AI is everywhere in our daily life? And the looming possibility that it becomes something more?
There are many widely known flaws of AI, such as spreading misinformation, promoting a lack of critical thinking, harming the environment, promoting academic dishonesty, overvalidating and agreeing with everything, creating isolating barriers, and sometimes just being plain wrong and inaccurate. AI takes away critical components of the human experience, at times thinking and problem-solving for us. While many can agree on the fact that AI has its flaws, what about its benefits? How is AI able to help us? In the right context, AI can be incredibly useful, such as when it’s used for automation, increasing efficiency, cost reduction, data analysis, enhanced safety systems, and helping people solve bigger problems.
AI can be both beneficial and detrimental. However, it is becoming increasingly harmful as it grows more prevalent in our everyday lives. While in the right circumstances it can be an incredibly useful tool, in many situations, it is unneeded and can do more harm than good.
In the past year alone, AI has become incredibly prominent, leading us to wonder if it is worth it—or even possible—to fight back. To resist.
We need to maintain a semblance of our humanity, which includes using AI only when necessary, appropriate, and the situation calls for it. Gone are the days of having ChatGPT help with assignments; in are the days of using AI for serious issues, only in ways that improve the world—not fill it with AI brain rot. Revolt against AI. Use AI for the good it was meant for. Only then can we truly resist and fight back against the rise of AI.